Solicitor/Senior Associate, Corporate M&A

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer in Sydney is seeking a Solicitor or Senior Associate to join its premier M&A team. You will work on high-profile Australia deals, drafting and negotiating core documents and advising on legal risk.

You will collaborate with leading Partners across our global platform and contribute to client relationships. The role requires admitted practice in Australia, New Zealand, or England and a minimum of 3 years’ M&A experience, with a strong academic record and

Qualifications

• Admitted to practice as a lawyer in Australia, New Zealand or England.
• At least 3 years' experience as a Solicitor working on M&A transactions.
• Strong academic record with excellent drafting skills and a commercial approach.
• Ability to handle complex legal matters and work within tight timeframes, both collaboratively and autonomously.

Responsibilities

• Work across a range of corporate transactions including public and private M&A deals (including schemes of arrangement and takeovers), and cross border transactions.
• Draft and negotiate key transaction documents and provide advice on legal risk for clients.
• Project manage transactions to meet key deadlines and coordinate with other teams across the firm.
• Maintain and develop external client relationships and participate in business development for existing and new clients.
• Mentor junior solicitors and contribute to their professional development.

Skills

M&A experience

Mentoring

Client relationships

Education

Admission to practice in Australia, New Zealand or England

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals.

Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years.

As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world's largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs.

At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we're focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world.

All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition - which is to help you achieve yours.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your goals. Our ambition

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Solicitor or Senior Associate to join Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer's premier, award winning, Band 1 Corporate M&A team in Sydney.

In this role you will have exposure to some of the best and highest profile deals in Australia and work closely with leading M&A Partners and , as well as other Partners across our international M&A practice.

What you’ll do

• Work across a range of corporate transactions including public and private M&A deals (including schemes of arrangement and takeovers), and cross border transactions.
• Play a key role on M&A transactions, including drafting and negotiating key transaction documents and providing advice on areas of legal risk for clients.
• Project manage transactions to ensure that key deadlines are met, and deliverables are anticipated, including working closely with other legal teams and offices across the firm to deliver an integrated service to our clients as well as working closely with other advisers on transactions.
• Manage and build external client relationships, including assisting with business development activities for key existing clients and new clients.
• Mentor junior solicitors in the team and taking an active role in their professional development.

What you’ll bring

• Admission to practice as a lawyer in Australia, New Zealand or England.
• At least 3 years' experience as a Solicitor working on M&A transactions.
• A strong academic record, coupled with excellent technical legal and drafting skills and a commercial approach.
• Demonstrated ability to comprehend complex legal matters and work effectively within tight timeframes, both collaboratively and autonomously.
• A passion for supervising and mentoring others, contributing to a strong team culture.
• A hunger to learn and progress your career as part of a market-leading practice.
• An innovative mindset, curious about AI and emerging technologies.

The M&A and Takeovers Team

Our market-leading M&A practice has a long-standing reputation for advising corporate and private equity clients across multiple jurisdictions on their most-significant, complex and innovative M&A, joint venture, takeover, demerger, venture capital and corporate restructuring transactions. We are consistently ranked as a leading firm in this area when measured against international benchmarks.

We take pride in consistently achieving top rankings in the realm of Corporate M&A work, as recognised by the leading industry intelligence platforms. In 2025, our team advised on more deals than any other firm in Australia, advising on over 100 announced and completed deals with a total value of over A$49 billion. We received the following number 1 rankings:

• 1st by deal value in AU/NZ announced deals (LSEG)
• 1st by deal value in Australasia announced deals (Mergermarket)

Our extensive involvement in transactions guarantees our clients unparalleled access to profound insights into market trends and the latest developments. This is recognised by continuously securing top rankings from industry bodies such as the Chambers Global Guide and Asia Pacific Legal500 and highlights our commitment to excellence.

What you can expect from us

• We're a world leading international law firm with a global team of over 6,000 professionals across 26 offices. As the market leader in Australia, we are committed to high performance, collaboration, diversity and digital innovation. We are client-centred, commercially driven, and renowned for our solution-focused expertise. We will align your growth with our ambitions.
• We make your personal and professional growth our business. And as part of the team, our ambition is yours too. Wherever you are in your career: grow and help the firm grow with you.
• We will provide opportunities to learn on the job as well as a mix of learning opportunities tailored to you. Daily experiences, supportive challenges, team collaboration, mentors, and structured learning opportunities help you to expand your knowledge and reach your goals.
• We value your wellbeing, both at home and work and we place a strong emphasis on mental health. If you need support, you'll have it and we'll empower you to harness your personal strengths, navigate uncertainty, embrace opportunities, and effectively manage things within your control.
• For more benefits on offer such as our holistic wellbeing fund or home office allowance please .
• Join us to be part of a human, bold and outstanding team at Australia's market leading law firm.

Team

Corporate

Working Pattern

Full time

Location

Sydney

Contract type